Electrically-operated vehicle signal



Apr. 3, 1923.

L. MCGUIRE ELECTRICALLY OPERATED VEHICLE SIGNAL Filed Dec. 26, 1919 2sheets-sheet l ilE.

sa JZ 1/ Wmv WU LEE Maguire.

mow uf Apr. 3, 1923. 1,450,214

. L. MCGUIRE LECTRICALLY OPERATED VEHICLE SIGNAL Filed Dec. 26, 1919 2sheets-sheet 2 .lullin-I LEE Mal-:nuire 'I awo/141W@ l To all whom #ma/yconcern:

Patented Apr. 3, 1923.

UNITED STATES 'LEE MCGUIRE, OF PAINT LICK, KENTUCKY.-

ELECTRICALLY-OPERATED VEHICLE SIGNAL.

Application filed December 26, 1919. Serial No. 347,492.

Be it known that I, LEE MCGUIRE, a citi- '/.en of the United States,residing at Paint Lick, in thecountyr of Garrard and State of Kentucky,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in ElectricallyOperated Vehicle Signals, of which the following is a specification.

This invention 4relates to signals for motor vehicles, and the primaryobject of the `invention is to provide an improved means electricallyoperated for indicating to drivers of other vehicles, the direction inwhich the vehicle carrying said ysignalling means is going to turn. p Y

Another object of the invention is to provide an attachment for motorvehicles embodying a pair of semaphore arms located on the oppositesidesof the vehicle body and having means for operating either one of saidarms for indicating the direction in which theV machine is going toturn. Y

A further object of the invention is to provide magnetic means foroperating the semaphore arm, said magnetic means being electricallyconnected by suitable conductors to the ordinary lighting system of themotor vehicle.

A further object of the inventiony is to provide means for closing anelectric circuit fto signal lights carried by the semaphore arms whenthe semaphore arms are actuated, the said circuits being connected tothe ordinary lighting circuit of the motor vehicle and being controlledby the ordinary'light- `ing switch, so that the signal lights will belighted only when the usual vehicle lights are in use.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improveddirection indicator for motor vehicles of the above character which isvdurable and eiiicient in use, one

that is simple and easy to manufacture, andv .one which can be placedupon the market and installed on a motor vehicle at a minimum cost.

OtherV objects of the invention will appear in the following detaildescription taken in connection with the drawings forming a part of thisspecification, in which draw- 1n s:

gligure 1 is a fragmentary detail perspective view of a motor vehicleshowing the improved signalling attachment, one of the signalling armsbeing shown in operative position.V

these fastening elements also .Figure y2 is a diagrammatic view of thewiring circuits.

Figure 3 is a vert-ical longitudinal section through the magnetic meansfor operating one of the semaphore arms and for closing the electriccircuit to the signal light, when the ordinary lighting circuit of themotor vehicle has been closed.

`lf`igure 4 is avdeta'il transverse section taken on the line 4-4ofFigure 3.

Figure 5 is a detail transverse section taken on the line 5--5 of Figure3.

Referring to the drawings in detail, wherein similar referencecharacters desig nate corresponding parts throughout the several views,the letter A indicates the improved signalling attachment for a motorarms 12 and 13 and to the forward end of the vehicle body.

` A casing 15 is provided for each one of the arms 12 and 13, and eachof the casings is secured to a convenient portion of the vehicle bodysuch as the instrument board 10 and each ofthe casings contain the meansfor operating the arms. The operating means for the arms are identicalin construction and therefore the description of the operating means forone of the arms will do forthe other arm; The operating means includesan electromagnet 16 which is held in place by suitable insulating rings17 secured by screws or the like 18 to an attaching bracket 19. Theattaching bracket 19 is secured to the rear wall of the casing y15 bysuitable fastening elements 20, and form means for attaching the casing15 to the instrument board 10. A sliding armature 21 is provided for theelectromagnet and the same is held in position by a suitable guide 22secured to an att-aching bracket 23 which is held in place by suit-ablefastening elements 24, which also extend into the dash to hold thecasingin position. The outer end lof the armature 21 is provided with athreaded socket 25 for the reception of the insulating lcured to theinner ends of the semaphore semaphore Y connection 14.,y Thepivot point3l of the' plugwQG, 'which has "fitted therein the operatingv rod '27,and the outer end Wall of the casing 15 is provided With ai" slotted Theouter end of the operating rod 27 is pivotally connected by a pinl l29to-'alever 30 which is rotatably mounted intermediate its ends uponapivot pin'31. The oiiter endof the :lever f30 is pivotall-y connectedtoi a rod 32 which Yis'in turn pivotallyconnected to ja bracket 33ysecured to the signal or V armfin advance .of the .hinged lever 30isarranged` relatively .near the ipivot point 251-1015 the operating rod27, so that upon a slight movement of the voperating rod the .outer endof .the lever vvvill move through a relatively ilong A:arc and .thusslide the rod .32 y:toria relatively long distance for raising thesemaphore or signalarm.

,j Each o the-electromagnets 16 .have Ytheir terminals connected tovconductor Wires A34 and 35,and the Wires 35 offeach ofthe coils .1.6iis connected together lby a connecting wire 36 which in 4turn is.connected to :one l.of the electric .light circuit 3 8iof-themotorvehicle. .Theoppoaelectroma-gnet :the .frame of lVsitelead Wiref39 ofthe one terminali-of the battery 40 or any suitabljesource ofelectricenergy is grounded .to the trame .of the `vehiele. The conductor wires34-of each ofthe co-ils are also grounded to the'ivehicle .and each ofthe Wires 35 .of the. electromagnets are provided with switches 4lands42, lso that upon Ithe closing ci' either one of the'switchesrtherespective semaphore arms Willberaised. The

Velectric-light circuit '38 hasl interposedtherelintheusual'controllingswitch 43 and this circuit'includes the two Wires 44 andA45leadying'from said switch to one of .theterminals or" the headlights46, andjthe opposite .terminais of the headlights .-arep.;g1"ounded tothe v.-rame-.ofthe vehicle by suitable Wires Whenthe semaphore signalarms 12..and

`13 areintheiriloivered position theincandescent-lamps 145 carried bytheterminals therewhen the semaphore arms are in` their raised position,when the ordinary lightsof the inon l tor -vehicle are lit,- conductorWires and'51 are Yprovided ttorA each ofthe electromagnetsvvhiclifextendinto the magnet -and are elecztrically insulatedtherefrom. The terminals I of the vWires 50-otea`ch electromagnetare Vsecuredtothe line Wires 44 and 45 'ofthe e0 1 .to the iframe of thevehicle. The `inner Y ter- .minalsnof the-Wires 50 and 51 are extendedheadlights, While the Wires.- 51. are grounded ...into-insulatingsockets 52 embeddedin the innerwfacegot.theelectromagnets and Vtheseinsulating sockets are adapted to receive con- ;armatures by suitable'hide-.1

ductor dovvel pins 53 ycarried *byathe @inner face o1c vthe kmovablearmatures 2l. These pins are electrically insulated from theiinsulatijng sockets 54.

The pins 53 have electrically connected lthereto suitable `-niires and56, which are seenftlia't an improved electricallyroperateddir'ection'indi'cator for motor'vehiclesis Jprovided of ,exceptionallysimple andV durable construction', "andvvliic'h vvill be easyA to'operate as Ythecontrol switches 4l"an`d 42am placed on Lthe steeringWheel'll ofl the :ve-

fByclo'sing `one ofthe switches 41 @42.

`one fof "the'rmagnets '116r vvill'ibe energized, l, thereby attractingfone 'of `the 'armatures E21 and raising one fotthesemaphorearmsthroughthe medium of the-frods 27 and32 and thelever 30. As soon yas thecircuit is broken'v the arms will 'drop 'to their 'normal positionsbygravity.

j Changes in det ils :may be 'madetvithout departing from the spirit 'orscopefofimyinvention; but, 4 i

l claim:

' l.' An electric Voperating'tleiiieefforiieliiclei 'f directingsignals'comprisingafeasing,anelec tric magnet ldis'p'osedji'n thecasing, a (guide `she. lla-rranged inthe casing in' alignment with tothe,y armature andslidably supported'by 'the casing. of Will :not be lit)irrespective of the fact yvhetherjf the switch 43 isin opened or'closed `position, and topermit the lamps 49 to` be lit 2. 'An electrical.'operatingfdevice ttor vef hicle signals comprising an. electricmagnet, a, guide, an armature -forthe magnetlslidably mounted in theguide,I means =for Vclosing 'themagnet, an armaturei'itorthen'iagnetre--l kciproca-bly mounted .in 'jsaid 'guide i shell, 'f means for 1limiting the sliding" movement fof "the armature, andanoperatingrodsecured the circuit throughV `the magnet [for'attra'ct-` ingsaid armature, an outwardly extending" operating rod securedlto thearmature,.and an actuating lever pivotally securedintermediate Vitsends, and meansgpivotally connecting the outer endsf the operating rodto one en'd of said actuating lever.

y 3.. ln -fan.electricaloperating deviceior `vehicle s1gnals,'anelectricalmagnet-,aguide shell arranged alignment vvith 1the maghet, anarmature v'for the magnetslidably mounted in said shell, a pair "olVcontact points carried by and insulated "froml 'the armature, a pair ofinsulating sockets carried by the armature for receiving said o0ntactpoints, upon the attracting of the armature, and Contact points normallyarranged in said socket.

4. In an electrically operated device for vehicle signals, a casing, anelecytroinagnet disposed in the casing adjacent to one end thereof, aguide shell disposed in the casing adjacent to the opposite end thereofand in alignment with the magnet, an armature for the eleetrolnagnetreoipr'oeably mounted in the guide shell, the guide shell having alongitudinally 'extending guide groove formed in the inner face thereof,a stop pin carried by the armature and disposed in the groove, a socketof insulation itted in the outer end of the armature, and an operatingrod fitted in the socket and extending exterior of and supported by thecasing.

LEE MCGUIRE.

